A wide variety of devices have been suggested and provided for the purpose of holding a collapsible tube, such as a tube of toothpaste, and progressively dispensing the contents. These devices range from a simple slotted key, to ceramic rollers, to elaborate geared contraptions. The devices that are closest in structure to the present invention generally operate with a channel receiving a tube of toothpaste or the like with some means for rest support and progressive dispensing of the contents of the tube. For example, in Turner U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,420, the tube is secured within a channel by means of its flat end and a slide progressively engages the tube to empty its contents. In Oursler U.S. Pat. No. 2,340,681, a convex carrier plate supports a tube against a seat in the form of a plate formed with an aperture through which the neck of the tube extends. Here too, a slide of some form is used to progressively empty the contents of the tube.
Both of these devices suffer a similar drawback, that is the tube is compressed until a point adjacent its conically shaped end wherein a quantity of material remains trapped at that end. Such devices are generally not capable of further squeezing the tube to expel the last material contained in the conical end. One therefore has to insert his fingers into the device to further squeeze the remaining material out of the tube. Robertson U.S. Pat. No. 2,880,911 attempts to overcome this drawback by providing a seat having an elongated aperture and a bent section, but the aperture does not extend through the bend. The conical end of the tube can be forced down into a recess created by the bent section and the tube emptied of its contents. However, the Robertson device requires that one use his fingers to empty the contents and even if one were to attach a slide to the Robertson device, still, at the end where the last remaining material must be expelled, one would still have to use his fingers to accomplish the job. Accordingly, in each of the foregoing devices where an attempt has been made to minimize manipulation of the tube and to provide an automatic, attractive, economical device, both economy and mechanical operation have been frustrated by the inability to dispense the last remaining material in the tube by automatic means.
The present invention provides a dispensing holder for a collapsible tube which does not suffer the foregoing drawbacks; rather, it is constructed in such a way as to facilitate emptying of the last remaining material in the tube. More specifically, the present invention provides a dispensing holder for a collapsible tube, the holder comprising a carrier and seat in the form of a plate wall. The carrier is formed to receive a collapsible tube of the type having a relatively flat rear end and a conical front end terminating in a rigid neck. The seal extends substantially normal to the front of the carrier and the carrier is formed with recessed front portion connected to the seat. In accordance with this invention, critical to facilitating emptying of the tube, the seat and carrier define a continous aperture extending across their connection and formed so that the conical front end of the collapsible tube can be received through the seat and then pivoted downwardly through the connection to be received in the recess and through the carrier plate. Means are provided for progressively collapsing the tube to a position adjacent the aperture through the carrier whereby to permit the conical end of the collapsible tube to be pivoted downwardly, thereby facilitating emptying of the tube.
In further detail, the carrier comprises a plate formed with elongated side edges and defines a channel between the edges as an elongate concave surface, to receive the collapsible tube. The seat extends upwardly past the plane of the side edges of the carrier plate. The means for progressively collapsing the tube comprises a slidable compressor which preferably has a rounded leading edge. The compressor includes a central lower portion convexly shaped to conform to the concave surface of the carrier plate and which includes edge portions which are turned in to slidably engage the side edges of the carrier plate and support the lower portion of the compressor spaced from the carrier plate a distance sufficient for insertion of the flat end of the collapsible tube, e.g. in the range of about 1/32 inch to 1/4 inch.
The result is a dispensing holder for a toothpaste tube or the like which progressively empties the contents of the tube by simple finger grip movement of a slidable compressor and which, when the tube has been compressed to be almost empty, allows the neck of the tube to be pivoted downwardly to enable further emptying of its contents by further movement of the slidable compressor.